Ian Jack

Ian Jack graduated in Physics from the University of St. Andrews. He began his career with GSI in 1968, initially in the field as seismic observer, and subsequently in seismic data processing before moving to software and systems development in Dallas, Texas. After 10 years with GSI he joined the Technical Service Division of BP Exploration in 1978, and became manager of their acquisition services branch in 1982, participating actively in setting and implementing seismic quality and safety standards for BP worldwide and in the industry at large. Other assignments included subsurface R&D manager, and eventually as BP's advisor on geophysics he was responsible for new technology and subsurface strategy leadership during and subsequent to the Amoco and Arco acquisitions. Most recently, he has championed the ocean bottom technology and was the instigator of BP's "Life of Field Seismic" receiver installation project. He has campaigned for years for a fundamental change in land seismic systems. He retired from BP at the end of 2002.

Ian is a member of SEG, EAGE, EAPG, and the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain. He is an editorial adviser for First Break journal, and has served as a member of the UK's Earth Science & Technology Board of NERC. He was a Vice-President of the SEG in 1992-93 and has served on SEG's Technical Standards Committee since 1981. He was the SEG's inaugural Distinguished Instructor in 1998 with a course entitled "Time Lapse Seismic in Reservoir Management" which has been taught to over 2000 geoscientists.

His interests are in most aspects of geophysics and he has contributed papers to SEG, EAGE, AAPG, and OTC on topics such as 4-D seismic, the downgoing vibroseis wavelet and marine seismic interference as well as several workshop and review papers. In "retirement" he consults widely around the industry in addition to some teaching duties including an updated version of the earlier 1998 course on 4D. He spends slightly more time now on his leisure activities which include skiing, music, and wandering round the Alps.